Method of hermetically sealing food products in vacuum



Aug. 18, 1931. J. H. ONEIL ET AL METHOD OF HERMETICALLY SEALING FOUD PRODUCTS IN VACUUM Filed June 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 18, 1931. J. H. O'NEIL ETAL 1,819,437

METHOD OF HERMETICALLY SEALING FOOD PRODUCTS IN VACUUM Filed June 22, 1929 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Aug. 18, 1931. J H, N ETAL 1,819,437

METHOD OF HERMETICALLY SEALING FOOD PRODUCTS IN VACUUM Filed June 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet '5 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES H. ONEIL AND ALFRED L. KRON QUEST, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO CONTINENTAL CAN COMPANY, INC., OF NEW OF NEW YORK METHOD OF HERMETICALLY SEALING FOOD PRODUCTS IN VACII'UM.

Application filed June 22,

The invention relates to new and useful imthe container to the sealing food products in vacuum and in containers having the ends double seamed thereto.

It is a well known expedient to seal food products in vacuum in containers and to accomplish the sealing by securing the end of body thereof by a double method employed for ac,- result is to place the conseam. The usual complishing this tainer in a vacuum chamber thus creatin a vacuum Within the container and don le seam the end to the container while in the vacuum chamber. The forming of a double seam requires considerable mechanism and this must all be placed in'the vacuum chamber. Machines of cated and more or less difliculty is experienced in keeping the same in service. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of hermetically sealing food products in vacuum in containers having the ends double seamed thereto wherein the end is joined to the body of the container after the container is removed from the vacuum chamber so that the double seam is formed in the open and at atmospheric pressure. This enables any of the well known standard closing machines to be used for closing the container.

In the drawings there have been illustrated diagrammatically the steps of the new method of accomplishing this result.

Fig. 1 is a view showing a vacuum chainber in which a container is placed with the end resting lightly on the body of the container and with the mechanical means for seating the end in the container withdrawn from contact therewith.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the pressure means applied to the end for seating the end in the container body.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the chamber in which the container is vacuumized open to the atmosphere so that atmospheric res-sure is brought to bear on the end, holding the end in sealing contact with the container body.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the end being double seamed to the container body.

this character are quite compli- 'necessary for retaining the 1929. Serial No. 373,045.

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the end resting lightly on the body with the mechanical means for seating and raised from contact therewith.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the endas seated on the container body and a seal formed which temporarily holds the vacuum in the container.

ig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the mechanical means as removed from contact with the end and atmospheric pressure holding said end seated and the container sealed.

ig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the double seam formed for permanently securing the end to the container body Without breaking the seal.

In carrying out the invention a standard container body is used in which the food product is placed. The standard end may be used,-but we prefer to localize the sealing material which is usually placed in the channel in the end and which is used in sealing the double seam. This sealing material is placed directly above the flange of the container body and preferably within the limits .of the flange so that when the end is seated on the container body by forcibl pressing the same against the container body, this sealing material will form a seal between the flange and the end that is suificient to maintain a vacuum in the container solely through the atmospheric pressure on the outer face of the end of the container.

As shown in the drawings, the end is preferably formed with a restricted pocket or recess in which this sealing material is laced and this localizes the sealing materia so as to insure that there is a sufliclent quantity of the sealing material to bring about the seal double seam is formed. The sealing material is not used in such quantity as to in any way-interfere with the forming of the double seam.

The end is loosely placed on the container and the container placed in a vacuum chamber. When the vacuum is drawn on the chamber, the container will be vacuumized. After the proper degree of vacuum is obtained, then vacuum until the YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION the end is forcibly seated in the container by mechanical means such as a chuck which is operated from without the container so as to be brought into contact with the end and force the end into firm seating contact with the container body. This makes a very tight seal between the end and the flange, all accomplished by the sealing material itself. After the end. is seated, then the vacuum chamber isopened to the atmosphere. This is done before the pressure applied to the end is released so that the atmospheric pressure brought to bear on the end due to the vacuum within the container will hold said end firmly seated and in sealed engagement with the body. The container thus vacuumizcd and sealed may be taken from the vacuum chamber and the vacuum will be retained for hours without appreciably changing. The container may, therefore, be placed in the standard closing machine and the end secured to the body of the container by double seaming. In this operation the end is engaged b 1 chuck which holds the end firmly 'seate while the seaming rolls join the outer edge portion of the end and the flange on the container body.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the-container body is indicated at 1 and the container end at 2. The container end is provided with the usual curled outer edge portion 3. The end as shown in the drawings is provided with a shoulder 4 thus forming a restricted recess or pocket 5. The sealing material indicated at 6 is placed in this recess and is thus localized, that is, it only extends from one side of the pocket'to the other instead of along the under face of the channel in the end out into the curled edge portion thereof.

The body is provided with a flange 7 which is of the usual character. This container body 1 is filled with the desired food prod-.

not after which the end 2 is loosely applied thereto. The container is placed in any suitable vacuumizing machine.

' In the drawings there has been indicated a vacuum bell which includes a support 8 on which the container is placed and a bell 9. The bell or support is moved so as to house the container and there is a sealing gasket 10 which seals the bell so that it may be placed under vacuum. The vacuum pipe is indicated at 11. At the other side of the bell there is a pipe 12 which leads to the atmosphere. In the pipe 12 is a valve 13 and in the pipe 11 18 a valve 14. Also carried by the bell is a seating chuck 15. This seating chuck 15 is carried by a rod 16 extending through a suitable packing 17. These are the essential parts of the vacuum mechanism for creating a vacuum in the container.

After the container is placed in this chamber the valve 14 is Opened and the chamber placed under vacuum which puts the container also under vacuum as the end rests lightly thereon. After the proper degree of vacuum has been created in the container, then the chuck 15 is lowered into contact with the end, as shown in Fig. 2, and force applied so that the end is forcibly seated in the container. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the sealing material 6 isbrought into contact with the flange and this sealmg material is of such character that when the end is forced against the container a very tight seal will be produced.

After the end is seated by this forcible means the valve 13 is vacuum chamber to return to atmospheric pressure. The atmospheric pressure on the end due to the fact that the container is under vacuum will hold the end firmly seated on the container body. After this valve has been opened and the chamber returned to atmospheric pressure, then the chuck 15 is raised from contact with the end. and the atmospheric pressure will hold the end in sealing contact with the container, maintaining the vacuum within the container. The container is then removed from the vacuumizing machine and placed in a standard closing machine.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the seaming head is indicated at 18 and is provided with the usual seaming rolls 19, 19. The seaming head is also provided with a chuck 20. The chuck 20 first engages the end and forcibly holds the end seated. This is all accomplished in the open and at atmospheric pressure so that the atmospheric pressure on the end is likewise holding the same seated on the container. Either the head or the container is rotated and the seaming rolls brought into contact with the end and the outer edge portion of the end rolled into a double seam with the flange on the container body. The double seam is indicated at 21 in Fig. 8. When the double seam is formed the sealing material will work out into the double seam and will effectively seal the double seam. There is not sufiicient sealing material, however, to in any way interfere with the formation of the double seam.

Thus it is that the container is permanently closed and hermetically sealed, and this is accomplished by a double seaming machine working in the open at atmospheric pressure.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details and the method as stated may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. The method of hermetically sealing food products in vacuum in containers which are formed and closed by having the ends seamed thereto consisting in providing the end to be closed with a sealing material for sealing the seam when formed and for temporarily sealing the end to the body under opened allowing the sealing contact with the container body while i the vacuum pull of the container, placing the container with the food product therein with the end resting lightly thereon in a vacuum chamber, vacuumizing the chamber and container, mechanically forcing the end into the chamber is under vacuum and retaining the end forcibly seated and sealed until the vacuum chamber is opened whereby atmospheric pressure will retain the end seated and sealed on the body, removing the container from the chamber and seaming the end thereto.

2. The method of hermetically sealing food products in vacuum in containers which are formed and closed by having the ends seamed thereto consisting in providing the end to be closed with a sealing material in a localized area directly above the flange on the body of the container, said sealing material operating to seal the seam' when formed and to temporarily seal the end to the container under the vacuum pull of the container, placing the container with the food product therein with the end resting lightly thereon in a vacuum chamber, vacuumizing said chamber and container, mechanically forcing the end into sealing contact with the container body while the chamber is under vacuum and retaining the end forcibly seated and sealed until the vacuum chamber is opened whereby atmospheric pressure will retain the end-seated and sealed on the body, removing the container from the chamber and seaming the end thereto. In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures.

JAMES H. ONEIL.

ALFRED L. KRONQUEST. l, 

